ADVICE ON HOW TO FINISH OFF MY HEARTH

[tenax]

plse see the pic below..notice how the current tile is bordered by the gray vinyl strips that cover the carpet. notice how the stones on the bottom don't meet up with stones on wall . i plan to make it so they match up wall to floor...so i'll be cutting my carpet back..and i guess i'll have to put down new metal tack strips and was thinking to put that kind of vinyl strip back in..now here's where i'm not sure..when i put the stones down should i just have the vinyl "frame" that goes over the carpet, go to the edge of the hearth stones or i could simply have the carpet go underneath the hearth stones a bit all the way around and ditch the vinyl strip and that might look better? i considered building a box off the ground but it's not very high to the bottom of the fireplace insert and was never designed for a ledge type hearth..thanks for thoughts.

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa123/tenax66/renopicturesresize1.jpg

 

[karl]

http://www.elitecrete.com/

The class is only $250 dollars. I'm planning on taking it soon. I've been playing around with concrete countertops. Go to their forums and ask there. I'm thinking I could do some really cool fireplace surounds with the stuff.

 

[arcane]

Maybe I'm wrong but are you covering up intake or vents on your insert w/ the tile?

 

[tenax]

good question, arcane..yeah, i know it looks like it's one piece but it's not. the piece that looks like a raised picture frame is actually the edge of my direct vent ngas fireplace..the old wood burning zero clearance fireplace insert is what you are seeing with the grills. i've checked with installer/manufacturer and no issues given the ngas fireplace is direct vented through the chimney (stacks that go directly off the ngas insert).

 

[tenax]

http://www.elitecrete.com/

The class is only $250 dollars. I'm planning on taking it soon. I've been playing around with concrete countertops. Go to their forums and ask there. I'm thinking I could do some really cool fireplace surounds with the stuff.

Karl, thanks for the link to that course site..that's not a bad idea as one day i may want to do concrete countertops too..probably too late for this specific project but down the road..i do see courses are "coming soon" for calgary (i'm 2 hours away from calgary alberta)